Muttathu Varkey

Muttathu Varkey Biography

Muttathu Varkey was a noted novelist and short story writer and his works have been categorized under 'Painkili stories' due to sentimental light weight romantic-masala story themes. Yet ordinary man loved to read his stories and novels and many of his works have been later adopted on screen by renowned Malayalam directors. Several trendsetter and commercial hit movies like Njana Sundari, Line Bus, Chattambi Kavala, Velutha Katrina, Mayiladum Kunnu, Akkarappacha, Padatha Painkili, Priyamulla Sophia, Poothali, Karakanakkadal, Poonthenaruvi, Azhakulla Selena and Kadal are based on his stories or novels. He published 132 books, including 65 novels.

Varkey was born in Chethipuzha, near Changanassery in Kottayam district. He passed B.A. Degree of Kerala University and joined for B.L Degree course though couldn’t complete it. After his studies he started his career at Saint Berchmans High School, Changanassery as a school teacher. He worked for only a brief period in the school and later joined as accountant in a timber factory. Then he started his professional career as a teacher once again working in M. P. Paul’s tutorial college at Kottayam. It was during those days when he seriously turned to writing. He wrote poetry and short stories and it was M. P. Paul who advised him to concentrate on to plays, novels and short stories rather than poetry.

Muttathu Varkey joined 'Deepika Newspaper' as Associated Editor and worked with it till his retirement in 1974. During his phase of life as journalist he easily carried away his writings too.  He got associated with Malayalam cinema too, as a screenwriter and dialogue writer. 'Padatha Painkili' in 1957 was the first story to be made to a feature film and he served as its screenwriter too. The movie was a super hit and later he has written screenplay of many classic hits of Malayalam. 'Poothali' of 1960 made on his script was the first Malayalam movie to have a double role by an actor.

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Updated: September 24, 2014